Greater fighter? Monzon or...

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Mark Dunham, Dec 2, 2021.



  1. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,555
    795
    Mar 19, 2021
    Greater fighter? Monzon or. Arguello?

    Monzon's career may SEEM more unblemished but he didnt compete at higher weights like Arguello

    Arguello would have been held in higher esteem if he had stopped short of the Pryor fight where he was pummeled senseless in a devastating defeat

    everything went south for him from that point on

    whereas Monzon is one of the few that retired on top and went out in glory but at only one division
     
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  2. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

    53,581
    7,169
    Jul 28, 2009
    Divisions exist for a reason in boxing. To let small people have employment too. But if you want to talk who's the bestest is then you are talking about greatness which go up in size as it go on. So, yes, Monzon is greater than Arguello by some distance but so as is the Tyson and Holyfield guys by being so far above Monzon in turn too.
     
  3. surfinghb

    surfinghb Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,963
    13,367
    Aug 26, 2017
    lol ... Monzon greater than Arguello by some distance .. Ya right .... An equal case can be made for each guy ....
    Arguello had already over 80 fights when he met Prime Pryor at Pryor's best weight with 33 fights
    I think the fights say more about AA than they do about Pryor
     
  4. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,731
    27,283
    Jul 16, 2019
    I like both, again you can only fight what is put in front of you, this is not the WWE, where you call people out, this is boxing, both have quality wins, but it is up to their management to make fights with promoters. Sometimes it is a huge mistake to move up in weight, some fighters are comfortable at their respective weights, some are not. A great fighter knows his limitations, they do not listen to blood thirsty fans and promoters. Alexis Arguello was great, Carlos Monzon retired with his title unlike past middleweight champions, the whiny one did not, Carlos had 14 title defenses, champion from Nov 7 1970 until Aug 29 1977.He defeated what was put in front of him, he had a great trainer and a shrewd manager. Arguello was to me was one of the great fighters of all time, I saw him fight in person.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2021
    michael mullen and Mark Dunham like this.
  5. michael mullen

    michael mullen Active Member Full Member

    778
    980
    Oct 28, 2021
    1. Of course Monzon was the greater fighter. Too smart to get knocked out...avenged all his losses and all but 1 draw. Ring IQ towers over AA;s...shits on it as a matter of fact. Coolness..maybe even coldness personified.
    2. This bull**** about division hopping has gotten out of hand btw...it isn't the "end all, be all" that some of you guys thing it is If you persist in believing otherwise, then you're gonna have to commit the blasphemy of condemning Marvin Hagler for staying put in middleweight.
     
  6. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,731
    27,283
    Jul 16, 2019
    Like I posted, if you are comfortable at your respective weight, cool. But if you are paying attention to a bunch of blood thirsty fans and promoters, then as a fighter you are a bigger fool. Let the promoters and fans enter the arena to fight those heavier champions. A great fighter knows his limitations, that would be like Roberto Duran challenging Larry Holmes in 1983.
     
    Titan1, Blaxx and michael mullen like this.
  7. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,731
    27,283
    Jul 16, 2019
    Not to mention went undefeated in his last 82 bouts, Oct 9 1964 until Aug 29 1977.
     
    Titan1 and michael mullen like this.
  8. michael mullen

    michael mullen Active Member Full Member

    778
    980
    Oct 28, 2021
    Tha too ol' bud!!:thumbsup:
     
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  9. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,731
    27,283
    Jul 16, 2019
    Sometimes it does not matter the name of your opponent, the other guy is trying to knock your block off, any given fight anybody can lose.
     
    Mark Dunham and michael mullen like this.
  10. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,555
    795
    Mar 19, 2021
    hard to compete with that
     
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  11. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

    1,555
    795
    Mar 19, 2021
    One stray punch can change the course of your career.

    Look at that shot from Briscoe.that put him on kueer street. He almost had him.
     
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  12. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

    47,903
    34,358
    Apr 27, 2005
    Take your pic each has advantages over the other and their careers are massively different.

    On one hand you had a guy chasing legend and fame at higher weights and the other completely owning a division and ruling it long term. What do you prefer? Either is fine.

    Once he hit his straps Alexis had just three losses in 10 years. One was a close one to Fernandez as he dabbled at higher weights between defense sand two were to a guy many rate #1 all time at 140 which is 3 divisions higher than where he won his first world title with a brutal KO of the great Ruben Olivares. He was lineal at Featherweight and Lightweight and cut an absolute swathe through a fine group of fighters at 130. He's probably top 10 at Feather, #1 or #2 at 130 and edge of the ten perhaps at 135. Around 17 defenses of his various titles.

    Monzon stayed put but was unerringly superb across a 7 year span where he dominated the division and never really looked like losing. A very dominant reign against fair to very good opposition. The one knock you hear is that he avoided Valdez until he mangled his hand in a car accident but I've never really bought it and regardless Valdez was fighting to a high standard afterward anyway as seen by their rematch. It would be impossible to have Monzon below 5 on resume and you could easily have him as high as #2 on that front.

    So yeah both are great great fighters to me in their very different ways.